SOAP API

For at least three years, Google is implementing SOAP related search API. Through this API, developers could build smaller applications that use the power of Google Search. This has been extensively been used by SEO experts as they develop online applications wherein data from search results could be interpreted and used for their advantage.

Google is finally pulling the plug on this API. The last day SOAP Search API would work will be on August 31, 2009. After this day, the search API will not yield any result at all. But that doesn’t mean Google does not want APIs to be developed for their search tool. Replacing SOAP Search API is the Ajax Search API. As the name suggests, the new API will enable developers to build an Ajax based application with new search API.

The reason for replacing SOAP with Ajax is simple: the demand is not there anymore. SOAP API has been extensively used in 2006 when it was first released but as the usage of the API has already been realized, the need for new API based on SOAP is no longer needed. The internet giant has stopped accepting new applications for API development as they will have to focus on more on the new search API.

For those who have followed the development of this API, it’s a little bit refreshing that the new search API will finally be released. This tool has been in the labs for months now and testing has been considerably sporadic but the interface looks great as Ajax will bring a refreshing client side features.

Although SOAP did have some promising features until today, Google has always leaned its development features towards JavaScript, Ajax and its framework, GWT (Google Web Toolkit).

But the development of Ajax Search API was not met with open arms. The development of this API will mean that developers would have to retool their applications so that it would still be adaptable. This has even opened up the long debated search techniques of Google which is still yet to be shared to everyone. This will lead to more development of API that may not be according to the search techniques used by Google.

Another problem that could rise is the difficulty of HTML based SEO tools to work with the new API. Since it is based in JavaScript, searching the data with HTML is not possible.

Lastly, time will tell if the new search API will be replaced in the near future. SOAP Search API used to be a very powerful tool for building simple tools for customized search. Today the days of its adaptability is numbered and will be officially over in August.

But given the enthusiasm of developers on this API and the dedication of Google for JavaScript and anything Ajax, updates will steadily flow for this new API instead of a complete replacement. Adaptability of some developers on the new API will be slow especially for those who are not well versed with JavaScript but they are not impossible.